Qur'ānic Geography

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Qur'ānic Geography Qur'ānic Geography Independent Scholars Press QG15.indd 1 2/20/2011 3:15:53 PM QG15.indd 2 2/20/2011 3:15:53 PM Qur'ānic Geography A SURVEY AND EVALUATION OF THE GEOGRAPHICAL REFERENCES IN THE QUR'ĀN WITH SUGGESTED SOLUTIONS FOR VARIOUS PROBLEMS AND ISSUES DAN GIBSON Independent Scholars Press Canada QG15.indd 3 2/20/2011 3:15:53 PM Qur'ānic Geography by Dan Gibson Copyright © Dan Gibson, 2011 ISP (Independant Scholar’s Press is an imprint of CanBooks, Saskatoon, Can- ada.) All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval sys- tem, or transmitted in any form, by any means, electronic, mechanical, pho- tocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the pub- lisher, except in the case of brief quotations in critical articles or reviews. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Gibson, Daniel 1956 - Qur'ānic Geography: a survey and evaluation of the geographical references in the Qur'ān with suggested solutions for various problems and issues. / Dan Gibson p. cm. - (Studies in antiquity and early Islam) Includes bibliographic references and index. ISBN: 978-0-9733642-8-6 1. Islamic Empire - History 622-661 2. Islamic Empire - History 661-750 - Historiography. 3. Middle East - Civilization - History - To 622 - Historiography For further orders contact: www.canbooks.ca Printed by Friesens Book Division, Altona, Manitoba, Canada QG15.indd 4 2/20/2011 3:15:53 PM In memory of my father, David J. Gibson, who worked so long and hard on matching the Edomites with the Hyksos. QG15.indd 5 2/20/2011 3:15:53 PM QG15.indd 6 2/20/2011 3:15:54 PM CONTENTS Abbreviations . ix Acknowledgements . xi Introduction . 1 PART I Geographical Background to Arabia Chapter 1 Geographical Locations in the Qur'ān . 7 Chapter 2 The Founding of the Nations . 17 PART II The People of ’Ad Chapter 3 The People of ’Ad . 30 Chapter 4 ’Ad in the Bible . 40 Chapter 5 The Kings of ’Ad . 55 Chapter 6 ’Ad and the Book of Job . 61 Chapter 7 ’Ad and the Pharaohs . 73 Chapter 8 ’Ad, Edom and the Hyksos . 97 PART III The People of Midian Chapter 9 The People of Midian . 118 PART IV The People of Thamud Chapter 10 The Kingdom of Thamud . 131 Chapter 11 Thamudic Trade Routes . 146 Chapter 12 The Thamudic Golden Age . 166 Chapter 13 The Thamudic Kingdom Crumbles . 173 vii QG15.indd 7 2/20/2011 3:15:54 PM Part V Pre-Islamic Arabia Chapter 14 The Tribes of Arabia . 187 Chapter 15 The City of Medina . 213 Part VI Islam’s Holy City Chapter 16 The Holy City . 221 Chapter 17 The Qibla . 238 Chapter 18 Archeological Evidence . 251 Chapter 19 Literary Evidence . 275 Chapter 20 Historical Evidence . 302 Chapter 21 Navigation and Pre-Islamic Poetry . 333 Chapter 22 The Abbāsid Writers . 346 Chapter 23 The Case for Aqaba and Al-Aqṣa . 357 Chapter 24 Qur'ānic Geography . 370 Part VII Appendices A Timeline of Early Islamic History . 382 B Annotated Bibliography of Early Islamic Sources . 414 C Early Qur'āns . 435 D Bibliography of Secondary Source . 442 E Index . 460 viii QG15.indd 8 2/20/2011 3:15:54 PM ABBREVIATIONS AASOR Annual of the American Schools of Oriental Research ADAJ Annual of the Department of Antiquities of Jordan AD Anno Domini (Originally used as Anno Domitian) AJA American Journal of Archaeology Alī Maulana Muḥammad ’Alī’s translation of the Qur'ān (1917) ARAM Journal published by the ARAM Society for Syro-Mesopo tamian Studies Asad Muḥammad Asad’s translation of the Qur'ān (1980) BAR Biblical Archaeology Review BASOR Bulletin of the American Schools of Oriental Research BASP The Bulletin of the American Society of Papyrologists BC Before Christ BNP Date according to Brill’s New Pauly BSOAS Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies CE Coptic Encyclopaedia, ed. A.S. Atiya. 8 vols. New York 1981 EL2 Encyclopaedia of Islam, New Edition, ed. H.A.R. Gibb et al. Leiden and London, 1960- proceeding ELs Shorter Encyclopaedia of Islam, ed. H.A.R. Gibbs and J. H. Kramers, Leiden and London, Brill 1953 HUCA Hebrew Union College Annual IRAQ British School of Archeology in Iraq JAOS Journal of the American Oriental Society JNES Journal of Near Eastern Studies KJV King James Version (Bible) NIV New International Version (Bible) PEQ Palestine Exploration Quarterly Pickthall Muḥammad Marmaduke Pickthall’s translation of the Qur'ān (1930) Yusif Alī ’Abdullāh Yūsuf ’Alī’s translation of the Qur'ān (1934) ix QG15.indd 9 2/20/2011 3:15:54 PM QG15.indd 10 2/20/2011 3:15:54 PM ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I have always found it difficult to write acknowledgements because I great- ly fear I will leave out someone of importance. In the past, every time I have written such a page, I have indeed failed to acknowledge someone. I suppose this comes from being such a poor writer that I must rely on so many people to help me. Researchers, fellow historians, English language proofers, artists, graphic artists and more have participated in preparing this book for print- ing. Not only this, my family have been supportive in allowing me to take two years to concentrate on getting it into print. In reality this means feeding me, telling me when it’s too late or too early to be working, and knowing that husband or father will not be available to do things that he normally does. Two years is a long time to give up a loved one, so I very much appreciate their cooperation that allowed me to do this project. As for the others, here are a few of the people who were of help along the way. Hopefully I haven’t missed too many. During the years of doing research and forming opinions my son Josiah and I talked for countless hours, checking facts and sparking one another with ideas. Then we would argue against ourselves, and often as not would end up dismissing our ideas as unsupportable. In time however, more and more sup- portable ideas came to light. Josiah grew up in the Middle East, walking the deserts and climbing the hills with his older brothers. His interest in history and archeology usually meant he was the first to arrive at a place of interest and was often the last one to leave. Without his input and dialog this project would possibly not have seen the light of day. I must especially thank Colin Bearup from the UK who has helped me by arguing with me through this and several other books in the past. It is always good to have a friend who says: “You can’t say that,” then tells me why not, and then ends up telling me how to say it better! I must also thank John Hill, an ex-Canadian living in Australia, with expertise on China 2000 years ago and its relations with the outside world, including Rome and Islam, who gave many helpful insights and ideas. Years earlier when he came to me for help in locating Arabian places named in an- xi QG15.indd 11 2/20/2011 3:15:54 PM cient Chinese documents, I had no idea how great an impact this would have on me or my view of history. John taught me to also look at Arabian history from an Asian perspective rather than considering only European, Biblical, or Islamic views. Dr. Joshua Lingel has also been a big help in obtaining research materials and providing me with access to other historians and experts. While Joshua was not an expert in Islamic history per se, he had several in his group of friends who could intelligently speak into parts of this study. Along with this he has also been a good friend with helpful comments and criticisms. Dr. Alan Guenther was also very helpful in pointing out several small er- rors and suggesting additional materials that related to the founding of Islam. His probing questions stimulated me to present my arguments better, and his kind thoughtful manner is what makes for a good friend as well as a scholar. Along with these I would also like to express thanks to Eldon Boettger who proofread the initial manuscript. Without the help of these and others along the way, a project such as this would never have been completed and I owe them all my profound thanks. My wife Mary also did a great deal of copy-editing, pointing out my Eng- lish grammar mistakes and I am indebted to her for all her work, and her sharp eye in catching both my English and Arabic mistakes. Lastly I must include a disclaimer, that although all of these people helped in the process and production of this writing, not all of them agreed with everything presented in the book, and I would not wish their names to be as- sociated or assumed as supportive of the various theories that I present here. Dan Gibson xii QG15.indd 12 2/20/2011 3:15:54 PM INTRODUCTION When I first began this project, I discovered to my great pleasure that I would receive assistance from my father, even though he died when I was only nine years old. All of his research was packed away in cardboard boxes and stored in closets and basement nooks until someone came along with an interest in ancient history and decided its worth. Since no one seemed to be forthcoming when my mother was moving into smaller accommodations, the books and papers found a place in our home.
Recommended publications
  • Water Systems at Yasileh
    ARAM, 23 (2011) 619-644. doi: 10.2143/ARAM.23.0.2959676 WATER SYSTEMS AT YASILEH Prof. ZEIDOUN AL-MUHEISEN* (Yarmouk University) Yasileh is located 9 km east of Irbid and 5 km west of ar-Ramtha, in north- ern Jordan. The site of Yasileh has an important geographical location since the area was a crossroad sfor the ancient trading routes between Southern Syria, Jordan and Palestine, in addition to the fact that the land in the sur- rounding area is very fertile and very well suited to agriculture. The Wadi ash-Shallalih area, including the site of Yasileh, a natural basin in which to collect rainwater where the annual rainfall for the Yasileh area has been esti- mated at between 400-500 mm. A sufficient supply of water was also ensured by cisterns cut into the rocky sides of Wadi Yasileh, as well as a spring located 1 km to the north of the site. Yasileh has a variety of water sources, storage and delivery systems including springs, reservoirs, wells, dams, tunnels and canals. Since 1988, ten campaigns have been carried out by the Institute of Archeology and Anthropology at Yarmouk University. Based on the results of the archaeological activities in the site headed by the author, this article will shed light on the water systems at Yasileh. INTRODUCTION The Yasileh site is located in Wadi ash-Shallalih, which represents the lower reaches of Wadi Warran (Schumacher 1890, 108). Wadi ash-Shallalih runs through the area between Hauran and ‘Ajlun and is fed by tributaries arising in the ‘Ajlun mountains; running west of the village of Suf, it continues north- ward to reach the area of ar-Ramtha, where it is known as Wadi Warran.
    [Show full text]
  • Camels, Donkeys and Caravan Trade: an Emerging Context from Baraqish
    Camels, donkeys and caravan trade: an emerging context from Baraqish,- ancient Yathill (Wadi- - al-Jawf, Yemen) Francesco G. FEDELE Laboratorio di Antropologia, Università di Napoli ‘Federico II’, Naples, Italy (retired), current address: via Foligno 78/10, 10149 Torino (Italy) [email protected] Fedele F. G. 2014. — Camels, donkeys and caravan trade: an emerging context from Bara¯qish, ancient Yathill (Wa-di al-Jawf, Yemen). Anthropozoologica 49 (2): 177-194. http:// dx.doi.org/10.5252/az2014n2a02. ABSTRACT Work at Barāqish/Yathill in 2005-06 has produced sequences encompassing the Sabaean (13th-6th centuries BC) and Minaean/Arab (c. 550 BC-AD 1) occupa- tions. Abundant animal remains were retrieved and contexts of use and discard were obtained. Camels and donkeys are studied together as pack animals, the camel being the domestic dromedary. Their zooarchaeological and contextual study at Yathill is justified from this city’s location on the famous frankincense caravan route of the 1st millennium BC. An extramural stratigraphic sequence documenting the relationships between the city and the adjoining plain from c. 820 BC to the Islamic era was investigated to the northwest of the Minaean KEY WORDS wall. Domestic camels were present by 800 BC, the earliest well-documented Dromedary (Camelus occurrence in Yemen; wild dromedary herds were still in the area during the dromedarius), Camelus sp. wild, 7th century and perhaps later. The study of the archaeological context links donkey (Equus asinus), these Sabaean-age camels to campsites possibly formed by non-residents. This caravan trade, archaeological indicators pattern greatly developed during the Minaean period, with trade-jar handling of ‘caravan’ activity, posts outside the walled city and frequent stationing of camels and donkeys on ‘frankincense route’ in the upper talus.
    [Show full text]
  • Glossary Glossary
    Glossary Glossary Albedo A measure of an object’s reflectivity. A pure white reflecting surface has an albedo of 1.0 (100%). A pitch-black, nonreflecting surface has an albedo of 0.0. The Moon is a fairly dark object with a combined albedo of 0.07 (reflecting 7% of the sunlight that falls upon it). The albedo range of the lunar maria is between 0.05 and 0.08. The brighter highlands have an albedo range from 0.09 to 0.15. Anorthosite Rocks rich in the mineral feldspar, making up much of the Moon’s bright highland regions. Aperture The diameter of a telescope’s objective lens or primary mirror. Apogee The point in the Moon’s orbit where it is furthest from the Earth. At apogee, the Moon can reach a maximum distance of 406,700 km from the Earth. Apollo The manned lunar program of the United States. Between July 1969 and December 1972, six Apollo missions landed on the Moon, allowing a total of 12 astronauts to explore its surface. Asteroid A minor planet. A large solid body of rock in orbit around the Sun. Banded crater A crater that displays dusky linear tracts on its inner walls and/or floor. 250 Basalt A dark, fine-grained volcanic rock, low in silicon, with a low viscosity. Basaltic material fills many of the Moon’s major basins, especially on the near side. Glossary Basin A very large circular impact structure (usually comprising multiple concentric rings) that usually displays some degree of flooding with lava. The largest and most conspicuous lava- flooded basins on the Moon are found on the near side, and most are filled to their outer edges with mare basalts.
    [Show full text]
  • Byzantine Missionaries, Foreign Rulers, and Christian Narratives (Ca
    Conversion and Empire: Byzantine Missionaries, Foreign Rulers, and Christian Narratives (ca. 300-900) by Alexander Borislavov Angelov A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (History) in The University of Michigan 2011 Doctoral Committee: Professor John V.A. Fine, Jr., Chair Professor Emeritus H. Don Cameron Professor Paul Christopher Johnson Professor Raymond H. Van Dam Associate Professor Diane Owen Hughes © Alexander Borislavov Angelov 2011 To my mother Irina with all my love and gratitude ii Acknowledgements To put in words deepest feelings of gratitude to so many people and for so many things is to reflect on various encounters and influences. In a sense, it is to sketch out a singular narrative but of many personal “conversions.” So now, being here, I am looking back, and it all seems so clear and obvious. But, it is the historian in me that realizes best the numerous situations, emotions, and dilemmas that brought me where I am. I feel so profoundly thankful for a journey that even I, obsessed with planning, could not have fully anticipated. In a final analysis, as my dissertation grew so did I, but neither could have become better without the presence of the people or the institutions that I feel so fortunate to be able to acknowledge here. At the University of Michigan, I first thank my mentor John Fine for his tremendous academic support over the years, for his friendship always present when most needed, and for best illustrating to me how true knowledge does in fact produce better humanity.
    [Show full text]
  • Archives in Medieval Islam by ERNST POSNER
    Downloaded from http://meridian.allenpress.com/american-archivist/article-pdf/35/3-4/291/2745727/aarc_35_3-4_x1546224w7621152.pdf by guest on 03 October 2021 Archives in Medieval Islam By ERNST POSNER N A CHAPTER of his Muqaddimah: An Introduction to His- tory, which deals with royalty and government, Ibn-Khaldun I (1332-1406) observes, "Royal authority requires soldiers, money, and the means to communicate with those who are absent. The ruler, therefore, needs persons to help him in the matters concerned with 'the sword,' 'the pen,' and finances; and among them the pen ranks high."1 It may have been thought to rank even higher than the sword and finances, for, according to Muslim tradition, the pen was the first object God created.2 Of its power and creativeness in Islamic culture there can be no doubt, and those who wielded the pen enjoyed great esteem. Poets and literati lent their talents to the business of government and, according to Ibn al-Sayrafl, achieved "with the pen what the sword and the lance over a long period of years had been unable to produce."3 Unfortunately, the use of the pen as an instrument of Muslim policy and the preservation of the products of the pen, namely offi- cial documents, have received too little attention so far. As a re- sult, archives-keeping in the Muslim states during the Middle Ages has not been fully recognized as a continuation of preceding prac- The author, Fellow and past president of the Society, continues with this essay his history of archives administration begun in Archives in the Ancient World [Cambridge, Mass., Harvard University Press; xviii, 283 p., illus.; bibliography, index; $>io] pub- lished in May 1972.
    [Show full text]
  • University of Lo Ndo N Soas the Umayyad Caliphate 65-86
    UNIVERSITY OF LONDON SOAS THE UMAYYAD CALIPHATE 65-86/684-705 (A POLITICAL STUDY) by f Abd Al-Ameer 1 Abd Dixon Thesis submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philoso] August 1969 ProQuest Number: 10731674 All rights reserved INFORMATION TO ALL USERS The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. In the unlikely event that the author did not send a com plete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if material had to be removed, a note will indicate the deletion. uest ProQuest 10731674 Published by ProQuest LLC(2017). Copyright of the Dissertation is held by the Author. All rights reserved. This work is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States C ode Microform Edition © ProQuest LLC. ProQuest LLC. 789 East Eisenhower Parkway P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, Ml 48106- 1346 2. ABSTRACT This thesis is a political study of the Umayyad Caliphate during the reign of f Abd a I -M a lik ibn Marwan, 6 5 -8 6 /6 8 4 -7 0 5 . The first chapter deals with the po litical, social and religious background of ‘ Abd al-M alik, and relates this to his later policy on becoming caliph. Chapter II is devoted to the ‘ Alid opposition of the period, i.e . the revolt of al-Mukhtar ibn Abi ‘ Ubaid al-Thaqafi, and its nature, causes and consequences. The ‘ Asabiyya(tribal feuds), a dominant phenomenon of the Umayyad period, is examined in the third chapter. An attempt is made to throw light on its causes, and on the policies adopted by ‘ Abd al-M alik to contain it.
    [Show full text]
  • Ancient Rome
    Ancient Rome William E. Dunstan ROWMAN & LITTLEFIELD PUBLISHERS, INC. Lanham • Boulder • New York • Toronto • Plymouth, UK ................. 17856$ $$FM 09-09-10 09:17:21 PS PAGE iii Published by Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc. A wholly owned subsidiary of The Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group, Inc. 4501 Forbes Boulevard, Suite 200, Lanham, Maryland 20706 http://www.rowmanlittlefield.com Estover Road, Plymouth PL6 7PY, United Kingdom Copyright ᭧ 2011 by Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc. All maps by Bill Nelson. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the publisher, except by a reviewer who may quote passages in a review. The cover image shows a marble bust of the nymph Clytie; for more information, see figure 22.17 on p. 370. British Library Cataloguing in Publication Information Available Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Dunstan, William E. Ancient Rome / William E. Dunstan. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 978-0-7425-6832-7 (cloth : alk. paper) ISBN 978-0-7425-6833-4 (pbk. : alk. paper) ISBN 978-0-7425-6834-1 (electronic) 1. Rome—Civilization. 2. Rome—History—Empire, 30 B.C.–476 A.D. 3. Rome—Politics and government—30 B.C.–476 A.D. I. Title. DG77.D86 2010 937Ј.06—dc22 2010016225 ⅜ϱ ீThe paper used in this publication meets the minimum requirements of American National Standard for Information Sciences—Permanence of Paper for Printed Library Materials, ANSI/ NISO Z39.48–1992. Printed in the United States of America ................
    [Show full text]
  • Report on the Nutritional Situation and Mortality Survey Al Jawf
    Republic of Yemen Ministry of Public Health and Population Central Statistical Organization Report on the Nutritional Situation and Mortality Survey Al Jawf Governorate, Yemen From 19 to 25 April 2018 1 Acknowledgment The Ministry of Public Health and Population in Yemen, represented by the Public Health and Population Office in the Al Jawf governorate and in cooperation with the UNICEF country office in Yemen and the UNICEF branch in Sana’a, acknowledges the contribution of different stakeholders in this survey. The UNICEF country office in Yemen provided technical support, using the SMART methodology, while the survey manager and his assistants from the Ministry of Public Health and Population and the Public Health and Population Offices in Amran and Taiz were also relied on. The surveyors and team heads were provided by the Public Health and Population Office in the Al Jawf governorate. The data entry team was provided by the Public Health and Population Office in Amran and the Nutrition Department in the Ministry. The survey protocol was prepared, and other changes were made to it, through cooperation between the Ministry of Public Health and Population and the Central Statistical Organization, with technical support from UNICEF. The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development provided UNICEF with technical assistance, especially with regards to daily quality checks, data analysis, and report writing. The Building Foundation for Development provided technical and logistical support through extensive coordination with the local authorities in the Al Jawf governorate, as well as through their choice of the survey team and providing extensive training for them. The Building Foundation for Development was also responsible for regular follow-up with the survey teams out in the field and providing logistical and technical support for these teams, as well as preparing the initial draft of the survey report.
    [Show full text]
  • Ba Islamic History
    Maharaja’s College, Ernakulam (A Government Autonomous College) Affiliated to Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam Under Graduate Programme in Islamic History 2020 Admission Onwards Board of Studies in Islamic History Sl. Name of Member Designation No. 1 Sri. I K Jayadev, Associate Professor Chairman, BoS Islamic History 2 Dr. A B Aliyar External Member 3 Sri. Anil Kumar External Member 4 Dr. Muhammad Riyaz V B External Member [Industry] 5 Sri. K U Bava External Member [Alumni] 6 Sri. Muhammad Ali Jinnah Sahib I Internal Member 7 Dr.Shajila Beevi S Internal Member 8 Dr. Salooja M S Internal Member 9 Sri. Ajmal P A Internal Member 10 Smt. Subida M D Internal Member 11 Smt. Sheeja O Internal Member MAHARAJA'S COLLEGE, ERNAKULAM (A GOVERNMENT AUTONOMOUS COLLEGE) REGULATIONS FOR UNDER GRADUATE PROGRAMMES UNDER CHOICE BASED CREDIT SYSTEM 2020 1. TITLE 1.1. These regulations shall be called “MAHARAJA'S COLLEGE (AUTONOMOUS) REGULATIONS FOR UNDER GRADUATE PROGRAMMESUNDER CHOICE BASED CREDIT SYSTEM 2020” 2. SCOPE 2.1 Applicable to all regular Under Graduate Programmes conducted by the Maharaja's College with effect from 2020 admissions 2.2 Medium of instruction is English except in the case of language courses other than English unless otherwise stated therein. 2.3 The provisions herein supersede all the existing regulations for the undergraduate programmes to the extent herein prescribed. 3. DEFINITIONS 3.1. ‘Academic Week’ is a unit of five working days in which the distribution of work is organized from day one to day five, with five contact hours of one hour duration on each day.
    [Show full text]
  • Proquest Dissertations
    The history of the conquest of Egypt, being a partial translation of Ibn 'Abd al-Hakam's "Futuh Misr" and an analysis of this translation Item Type text; Dissertation-Reproduction (electronic) Authors Hilloowala, Yasmin, 1969- Publisher The University of Arizona. Rights Copyright © is held by the author. Digital access to this material is made possible by the University Libraries, University of Arizona. Further transmission, reproduction or presentation (such as public display or performance) of protected items is prohibited except with permission of the author. Download date 10/10/2021 21:08:06 Link to Item http://hdl.handle.net/10150/282810 INFORMATION TO USERS This manuscript has been reproduced from the microfilm master. UMI films the text directly fi-om the original or copy submitted. Thus, some thesis and dissertation copies are in typewriter face, while others may be from any type of computer printer. The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. Broken or indistinct print, colored or poor quality illustrations and photographs, print bleedthrough, substandard margins, and improper alignment can adversely affect reproduction. In the unlikely event that the author did not send UMI a complete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if unauthorized copyright material had to be removed, a note will indicate the deletion. Oversize materials (e.g., maps, drawings, charts) are reproduced by sectiotiing the original, beginning at the upper left-hand comer and continuing from left to right in equal sections with small overlaps. Each original is also photographed in one exposure and is included in reduced form at the back of the book.
    [Show full text]
  • A Sociolinguistic Study in Am, Northern Jordan
    A Sociolinguistic Study in am, Northern Jordan Noora Abu Ain A thesis submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Department of Language and Linguistics University of Essex June 2016 2 To my beloved Ibrahim for his love, patience and continuous support 3 Abstract T features in S J T (U) T J : zubde „ ‟ dʒubne „ ‟. On the other hand, the central and southern Jordanian dialects have [i] in similar environments; thus, zibde and dʒibne T (L) T the dark varian t [l] I , : x „ ‟ g „ ‟, other dialects realise it as [l], and thus: x l and g l. These variables are studied in relation to three social factors (age, gender and amount of contact) and three linguistic factors (position in syllable, preceding and following environments). The sample consists of 60 speakers (30 males and 30 females) from three age groups (young, middle and old). The data were collected through sociolinguistic interviews, and analysed within the framework of the Variationist Paradigm using Rbrul statistical package. The results show considerable variation and change in progress in the use of both variables, constrained by linguistic and social factors. , T lowed by a back vowel. For both variables, the young female speakers were found to lead the change towards the non-local variants [i] and [l]. The interpretations of the findings focus on changes that the local community have experienced 4 as a result of urbanisation and increased access to the target features through contact with outside communities. Keywords: Jordan, , variable (U), variable (L), Rbrul, variation and change 5 Table of Contents Abstract ...................................................................................................................................... 3 Table of Contents .......................................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • The Agatharchides Plateau (60 X 45Km) Is Classified As an Intrusive Lunar Mega Plateau, Similar to the Gardner Mega Plateau
    The Agatharchides Plateau (60 x 45km) is classified as an intrusive lunar Mega Plateau, similar to the Gardner Mega Plateau. The composition of the rocks is similar to the Gruithuisen domes and the mountain Mons Hansteen. On the eastern edge of the plateau is an extremely narrow - unnamed - rille. Unofficially this structure is named "The Helmet" because its shape is reminiscent of the helmets of the famous Star Wars movies. The Hortensius Domes are a classic small-scale lunar field of 7 lunar effusive shield volcanoes with diameters of 10 to 15 kilometers and small summit calderas. In this region between Kepler in the west and Copernicus in the east are around 2 dozen other domes, e.g. west of Milichius the great Dome Milichius Phi. Heinzel (68 x 19km) has, due to its shape, the nickname "Peanut crater". It is the result of a superposition of 3 impacts over a total length of nearly 70 km. Hesiodus A (14 km) is the largest and most easily observable double concentric crater on the front of the moon. Copernicus measures roughly 100 kilometers in diameter and is the prototype of a very young, complex crater. He has clearly terraced crater walls and the central mountains are divided into two parts. The crater floor is partially smooth and flat (covered with molten ejecta), on the opposite side there is a hilly region. The crater floor is 3.8 kilometers beneath the crater walls which rises less than 1 km above the surrounding landscape. The longest rays of the young ray system can be tracked up to a distance of 800 km.
    [Show full text]